SpokEasy

SpokEasy

Author name: CAL

Penny-Farthing

BACK ISSUES /

Penny-Farthing ? The penny-farthing, aka high wheeler, is quite amazing. How did people ride them? A penny-farthing doesn’t look like it would be easy to mount in the first place! This is the kind of bicycle that Mark Twain wrote about, and it seems that his experience with the machine was not a positive one. If you’re eager to give it a go, this video provides advice. That gentleman sure makes it look easy. I wonder whether the “cowboy mount” that some people use when starting their bicycles has its origins in the way a rider mounts a “PF”. I’m not sure that I’m up to the PF challenge. I know I wouldn’t dare try it without a helmet! I wonder how many PF riders suffered fatal head injuries during the PF’s heyday. After all, when you’re on one of those contraptions you’ve got much farther to fall than you do when you’re on a “safety”. I don’t remember ever seeing anyone actually riding a PF, but one of the local bike shops has one — or a replica — hanging from the ceiling. That big wheel looks like it’s almost as tall as I am! Oh, and I guess a PF wouldn’t be a good idea if you suffer from acrophobia. This blog/page may contain affiliate links. “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.” ABOUT ME I began this website primarily as a way to present the story of how I accomplished a century ride on an adult tricycle. Other riders of adult trikes might want to know whether it’s possible. It sure is! You can read all about it in My Story. I live in New Orleans; and  retired in January 2023. More time for cycling! Website designed by Cecile Levert © This website is the property of its author. DISCLAIMER I am not a cycling coach; nor a health professional. This site is based on my own experiences, opinions, etc. If you need help, please consult the appropriate professional.   FRESH FROM MY JOURNAL ✍? Fog Away! February 10, 2025 Pedals Wear Out! February 9, 2025 RAGBRAI hydration February 7, 2025 I Took the Plunge! February 6, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

Penny-Farthing Read More »

Addition

BACK ISSUES /

My addition skills are better that this, I hope! Fortunately I don\’t need math skills to be able to ride. Today I added another mile or so to my outbound route. My average speed was actually a bit faster than last Sunday\’s, and with similar wind conditions. Here\’s what I did that was different: I worked on 30-second intervals of  pedaling a lot faster. At one point I did a full minute of pedaling hard into the wind. I hit a peak cadence of 120 rpm, and without bouncing in the saddle. That effort also got my heart rate up to its max. I stayed on the small ring a lot. My left ankle still wants to hyperextend itself, and it\’s easier to keep it from doing so if I\’m in a relatively easy gear. Easier gears also make it easier to pedal faster! It was cooler than I really like, but cold weather is more tolerable on a sunny day. Of course I wore leg warmers, and the pair I used today has about had it. One of them has a run in it for some time; and today I snagged the other on something and put a hole it in! To that nuisance I can add having had to take a detour to get home. A train was just sitting there, blocking my usual crossing. The lead locomotive was more than 3/4 miles from home, and the end was several blocks past the crossing. That meant riding over a very bumpy street to get back home. Oh, well. That did give me an extra half-mile or so to add to this year\’s mileage total. I like that kind of addition!  

Addition Read More »

I Got Lucky!

BACK ISSUES /

Yes, I was lucky this morning. After I checked the forecast last night, I expected to have to ride through rain to get to the salvage store. As a matter of fact, it did rain at about 7:15. By the time I started to the store, the rain had stopped; but it was still overcast. I wore my poncho in case it started to rain again. It was warm enough that I could leave the hood down. If it did start to rain, it would be easy enough to stop and remove my hemet; pull the hood into place; then put the helmet back on. I did in fact run into a patch of mist not far from home. I stopped and put that hood over my head in case the mist morphed into heavy rain. But it didn\’t 🙂 At the store I parked my bike under an awning. I forgot to put a plastic bag over the saddle, and of course the edge of that awning was dripping! It was a good thing I had the poncho on, or my shorts would have gotten all wet. On the way home there was another patch of mist; but by the time I actually got home, the sun was starting to come out. Today I took the trailer, and it sure felt hard to pull the thing. I\’m so glad that I got lucky and had the headwind on the way out, for a change. It was worth the effort, though. Among other things, I hit the make-your-own-grab-bag bins. Two large bags cost $10 —  81 snacks for ten bucks! Some of them will make good ride food. Which reminds me, it\’s time to start extending my Sunday ride to 20 miles or so. The weather should be good tomorrow, so I can saddle up, grab a bargain snack, and pedal away.

I Got Lucky! Read More »

Like a Broken Record

BACK ISSUES /

We do sound like a broken record, don\’t we? This non-stop discussion of food in the pro peloton does get tiresome. Or even of on-bike food for us purely recreational riders. Pro cyclists competing in, say, La Grande Boucle burn so many calories that they end up going catabolic, with their bodies in effect eating themselves. Paradoxically, during a long stage race the riders find it harder and harder to eat enough! Eating, in fact, come to seem like force-feeding to them. That\’s only while they\’re on the bicycles and racing. In addition to the hours in the saddle, pros in a multi-day race need to be eating almost all the time that they aren\’t sleeping! It\’s staggering to think of it. When I\’m about halfway through a ride of 3-4 hours at a pace that\’s far from racing speed, it starts to get hard to eat. I lose my appetite. That definitely came into play when I did the tricycle century. I anticipated finishing that ride in good appetite, eager for a nice, big dinner out. To my surprise, I wasn\’t hungry at all! So in a very small way, I can understand the problems of keeping fueled during three weeks of intense racing. I\’m glad I don\’t have to do it! But haven\’t I said that before? I sound like a broken record, don\’t I?

Like a Broken Record Read More »

Cycle Lappland

BACK ISSUES /

Cycle Lappland Cycle Lappland?? Lappland somehow makes me think of perpetual Winter; reindeer; and the endless glow of the Northern Lights. How easy it is to forget that, even at such high latitudes, there is Summer. Lappland also makes me think of the northernmost reaches of Scandinavia, such as Finland. Thanks to Sibelius, I’d like a route that included Karelia. If not for the composer’s Karelia Suite, though, I might not have heard of the place! I think it would be interesting to actually visit Karelia. Finland isn’t all snowy wastelands. If riding over snow isn’t your thing, Finland has its warm season. June might be OK; but July is the warmest time of year, with temperatures of 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s not my idea of “warm”, but as they say, all things are relative. Winter in Finland brings temperatures at or below freezing much of the time, with February typically the coldest month. If you love to make tracks in the snow, that might be the time for you grab a fat-tire bike and plan your visit. Naturally Finland has its downside; what place doesn’t? But those landscapes! It would be great to Cycle Lappland and really enjoy them — and “Finnish” under the aurora borealis! This blog/page may contain affiliate links. “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.” ABOUT ME I began this website primarily as a way to present the story of how I accomplished a century ride on an adult tricycle. Other riders of adult trikes might want to know whether it’s possible. It sure is! You can read all about it in My Story. I live in New Orleans; and  retired in January 2023. More time for cycling! Website designed by Cecile Levert © This website is the property of its author. DISCLAIMER I am not a cycling coach; nor a health professional. This site is based on my own experiences, opinions, etc. If you need help, please consult the appropriate professional.   FRESH FROM MY JOURNAL How’s the Pressure? January 15, 2024 Icicle on Wheels? January 14, 2024 Turning the Tables January 13, 2024 Summer in January January 12, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

Cycle Lappland Read More »

Yoga for Cyclists

BACK ISSUES /

Yoga is said to be helpful for cyclists. It helps improve posture. It helps to stretch out muscles when they\’ve become stiff through many miles in the saddle. Thus yoga improves our flexibility, making those long miles more comfortable. Yoga can even help with injury prevention. Here are seven yoga moves for cyclists. Each one is designed to target specific areas of the body, and either work muscles in a manner that is opposite to the way they\’re used while riding; or, to strengthen those muscles so that they work better while cycling. Yoga is also known for both improving mental focus and calming the mind, like viewing a landscape such as the one at left. I don\’t suppose that many of us have such a view before our doorsteps; and how many of us can afford to travel to such beauty spots on a whim? Yoga, I suppose, might be called a passport to such tranquility. I have yet to try yoga. I don\’t want to go to a yoga studio only to be driven out by others\’ \”fragrances\”. Even if it weren\’t for that, the stress of trying to fit yoga sessions in around everything else would undo any benefits I got from the yoga!  

Yoga for Cyclists Read More »

Watt to Do?

BACK ISSUES /

\”Watt\” to do with all the wattage generated by the pro peloton, if only it were possible to harness it? Look at the Tour de France. Nearly 200 very strong riders pedaling for up to five hours a day, for three weeks, means a lot of power! I could use it to help heat my apartment during this cold weather. In Summer, I\’d use it to cool the place. I could use some to run my laptop. If I could find a way to hook it up to a gas range, it could cook my supper, I might use some of it to get to out-of-state riding locations, such as the Natchez Trace. Or head for the Seagull Century on coastal Maryland. Best of all would be if I could miraculously put that power into my own legs, for some long, fast rides! I\’d have no trouble cranking out a couple of centuries. I might improve my climbing ability. And watt would you do with all those watts?

Watt to Do? Read More »

Off the Beaten Path

BACK ISSUES /

Off the Beaten Path It’s fun to get off the beaten path now and then! Let’s get off the beaten path for a change! Sometimes we want a break from the same old roads. Riding the same routes over and over again can get too monotonous. They say it helps to do your accustomed routes in reverse now and then; but unfortunately that isn’t possible for me. And what if you want a big-time break from the norm? Backroads can help you to go exploring by bike or on foot. It seems that their tours are enjoyable. Maybe the California options? Biking in the valleys sounds like fun, but I think I’ll skip the wine-tasting. I’d rather eat the grapes. For something big-time different, how about Africa? If organized tours aren’t your thing, maybe you’d want to tackle the Dirty Kanza. Or Moab. Sometimes I wish I could work my way up to trying, but I 1) don’t have a mountain bike; and 2) don’t have a way to get to either Kansas or Utah. In addition, aren’t both those areas quite arid? That might pose a big problem for me; I’m used to humidity. If you want to have an adventure where there’s no path at all, this account of a water trip around the coast of Ireland might get you started. Talk about going off the beaten path! As for me, the old beaten path is all I have close at hand. I’d better be glad I have it.

Off the Beaten Path Read More »

Dementia?

BACK ISSUES /

Am I suffering from dementia? Last Thursday I forgot to light the candles to celebrate ten years of cycling. Then this morning, I forgot to put on my sunglasses until I got outside. I had to go back in and get them. Today I did just 19 miles. I need to work my way back up to 35-40 mile rides on Sundays, but that will probably take at least a couple of months. It\’s amazing how much fitness I\’ve lost! It took three weeks for that pulled hamstring to get back to normal. While riding short and easy during that period, I realized that it was the perfect time to work at correcting my left ankle\’s hyperflexion habit. I\’m not even sure how I got into it. Maybe at one point, years ago, I strained a quad muscle, and pedaling with that ankle stretched down and forward was what let me keep riding. Luckily there was little wind today. The sun was out. When I started my ride, the temperature would have been close to 50. I didn\’t get overheated, so I guess I wasn\’t wearing too many layers. For practice in riding \”loaded\”, I wore the Camel-Bak. It looks like the weather will be favorable for riding during the coming week. Cold mornings, yes, but low chances of rain. I\’m glad of that. Cold + rain makes my brain feel too sluggish. Cyclist\’s dementia?    

Dementia? Read More »

Cycling and Back Pain

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Personal Care, Training /

Cycling and Back Pain ☹️ Cycling and back pain? It seems like aching quads and overworked hamstrings are more likely, doesn’t it? Yet cycling can have its share of back problems. A number of things might cause it. If there is no intrinsic biological problem that would cause back pain on the bike, improper bike fit might easily be the cause. It’s well worth the time and cost to get a good bike fit, such as Specialized Body Geometry. As the saying goes, adjust the bike to fit your body; don’t force your body to fit the bike. Posture is another factor, whether on the bicycle or not. Many of our daily activities are not conducive to good posture. Another possible culprit is poor flexibility. Lack of core strength can also lead to back pain. A misaligned spine, too, can be behind an aching back. And check out your riding style. Style 👘 Yes, check out your riding style; and I don’t mean your cycling wardrobe. Trying to push gears too hard for your strength level can adversely affect the back, especially trying to climb in too hard a gear. Pushing too hard a gear is also putting yourself at risk for knee problems. Prevention, of course, is the best cure. And what about riding with a loaded Camel-Bak on your, well, back? It’s not only the reservoir full of water; to that weight you can add anything else you choose to take along, such as food or an extra jacket. Work up to it, as with so many other things. Don’t wait to use said loaded Camel-Bak on the day of a major event. The unaccustomed load could lead to cycling and back pain. And now, I’d like to get back on the bike! This blog/page may contain affiliate links. “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.” ABOUT ME I began this website primarily as a way to present the story of how I accomplished a century ride on an adult tricycle. Other riders of adult trikes might want to know whether it’s possible. It sure is! You can read all about it in My Story. I live in New Orleans; and  retired in January 2023. More time for cycling! Website designed by Cecile Levert © This website is the property of its author. DISCLAIMER I am not a cycling coach; nor a health professional. This site is based on my own experiences, opinions, etc. If you need help, please consult the appropriate professional.   FRESH FROM MY JOURNAL No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

Cycling and Back Pain Read More »